State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) FAQ

What is the State Sponsors of Terrorism List?

The State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) list is created and maintained by the U.S. Department of State to identify countries that have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.

Why was Cuba put on the list?

Cuba was first added to the State Department’s State Sponsors of Terrorism List (SSOT) in 1982 under the Reagan administration for alleged ties to international terrorism and support for terrorist groups in Latin America, such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Basque separatist group ETA. With no requirement for regular review of SSOT designees, Cuba remained on the list until May 2015 when it was removed following an extensive State Department review under the Obama administration.

In January 2021, Cuba was re-added to the SSOT, according to then Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, for refusing Colombia’s request for Cuba to extradite National Liberation Army (known as ELN in Spanish) members who claimed responsibility for a 2019 bombing in Bogotá and for harboring American fugitives. Cuba condemned the attack and refused the extradition requests under the assertion that it was in line with the Peace Talk Protocols, signed by both Colombia and the ELN in 2016 which designate that, in the event of a breakdown in negotiations, ELN negotiators will be returned to safe havens in Colombia. The move, carried out days before the U.S. presidential inauguration, was politically motivated and was executed by the Trump administration to intentionally complicate U.S.-Cuban relations for President Biden. In October 2022, President Petro asked U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to end the “injustice” of designating Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terror. As concluded in the intelligence review ordered by President Obama in 2015, Cuba does not meet the statutory definition of a state sponsor of terrorism.

Are there any other countries currently on the list besides Cuba?

Yes, as of 2023, there are three countries on the list besides Cuba: Iran, North Korea, and Syria.

How are listed countries affected by the designation?

A country’s presence on the list implies various economic and diplomatic sanctions, including restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance, a ban on defense exports and sales, financial restrictions including loans from the World Bank, and certain controls over exports of dual-use items. The designation also carries economic repercussions for countries that continue to engage with the designated state, who could be subjected to U.S. secondary sanctions.

Cuba already faces immense sanctions and restrictions under the U.S. Embargo on Cuba. Why does its inclusion on the SSOT matter?

Cuba’s inclusion on the SSOT means the island has additional trade and economic sanctions placed on it in addition to those already in place under the embargo, resulting in additional scrutiny and restrictions on financial transactions and travel between the US and Cuba. Its inclusion also severely limits foreign investment, creates additional obstacles to delivering humanitarian aid, and impacts students and academics in Florida due to a 2006 Florida statute which prohibits the use of public funds for travel to countries on the SSOT.

Additionally, Cuba’s position on the SSOT requires foreign travelers from countries included in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which is a visa waiver program for over 40 countries including Japan, South Korea, and those in the European Union, who visited Cuba on or after January 21, 2021–when Cuba was re-added to the SSOT–to request a visa at the Consulate General or Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in their home country. This policy was recently implemented by the Biden-Harris administration and will likely have negative impacts on Cuba’s tourism industry, as it disincentivizes travel to Cuba, and Spain, Germany, France, and Italy are in the top eight countries that send international travelers to Cuba.

How does Cuba’s presence on the list affect the Cuban people?

Cuba's presence on the list affects the Cuban people by limiting their access to certain goods and services, particularly those related to international trade and finance. For Cuban entrepreneurs, Cuba’s presence on the list limits private individuals from opening bank accounts abroad, the use of instruments for international collections and payments, access to fintechs and digital banking, and the contracting of online servers and services. Many commercial and financial institutions–which are required by law to undertake “enhanced due diligence” when doing business with designated countries–are hesitant or entirely unwilling to do business with designated countries such as Cuba due to increased costs and risk of running afoul of U.S. sanctions. In turn, as direct foreign trade expands on the island, private companies will find restrictions on the purchase of products manufactured in the US and even goods produced in third countries that incorporate a high content of inputs from the US. It also affects travel and communication between Cuba and the US.

What is the process for adding or removing countries from the list?

The process for adding or removing countries from the list involves a formal review by the State Department, which considers various factors such as the country's history of supporting terrorism, its current activities, and its cooperation with US counterterrorism efforts. The decision to add or remove a country from the list ultimately rests with the U.S. Secretary of State.